Is Your Wooden Furniture Antique or Just Old?
Posted
at 21:02, 02/06/2008
by
LauraWilliams
 How do you know if that great piece of wooden furniture you found in the attic is an antique? You could either have it appraised , or do a little detective work of your own. Howstuffworks.com explains how to spot an antique: Joinery. Machine-cut furniture wasn’t made until about 1860. If the piece has drawers, remove one and look closely where the front and back of the drawer are fastened to the sides. If a joint was dovetailed by hand, it will have only a few dovetails, and they will be uneven. Saw marks. Look at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawers. If it shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, spokeshave, or drawknife. Strait saw marks—as opposed to circular—indicate an old piece since circular saws weren't in use before 1860.
|